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China Aims to Eliminate Severe Air Pollution this Year

People ride electric bicycles along street during rush hour in Beijing on February 24, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)
People ride electric bicycles along street during rush hour in Beijing on February 24, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)
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China Aims to Eliminate Severe Air Pollution this Year

People ride electric bicycles along street during rush hour in Beijing on February 24, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)
People ride electric bicycles along street during rush hour in Beijing on February 24, 2025. (Photo by WANG Zhao / AFP)

China aims to effectively eliminate severe air pollution by the end of 2025, a senior environment official said, as authorities ramp up efforts in pollution control and emissions reduction in the "battle for blue skies."
China will improve its air quality forecasting and early warning systems and enhance coordinated management of harmful airborne particles known as PM2.5, as well as ozone pollution, said Li Tianwei, Director of the Department of Atmospheric Environment.
"The battle for blue skies remains unchanged," Li said according to a transcript on the Ministry of Ecology and Environment's website on Monday.
Though some progress has been made, air pollution remains a major problem in China and affects economies and people's quality of life, said the World Health Organization (WHO).
Air pollution is responsible for about 2 million deaths in China annually, the WHO said. Of those deaths, ambient air pollution caused more than 1 million deaths, while household air pollution from cooking with polluting fuels and technologies caused another million deaths, it said on its website.
The WHO considers PM2.5 concentrations above 50 micrograms per cubic meter "severe" air pollution.
China's air quality improved significantly in 2024, Reuters quoted Li as saying. The average concentration of PM2.5 in cities was 29.3 micrograms per cubic meter, a year-on-year decrease of 2.7%.
The proportion of days with good air quality reached 87.2%, up by 1.7 percentage points year-on-year.
China must introduce new emission standards that align with global best practices, Li said, adding that the country will boost the share of new energy vehicles and machinery in airports, ports and logistics parks.
Authorities also plan to promote the long-distance transportation of bulk goods by rail and water, rather than by roads.

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Al-Qatif Street Food Festival Celebrates Saudi Culinary Arts

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
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Al-Qatif Street Food Festival Celebrates Saudi Culinary Arts

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA
The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors - SPA

The Culinary Arts Commission launched Al-Qatif Street Food Festival, which runs until December 30, 2025, offering visitors a rich cultural experience that highlights Saudi culinary arts in a setting that reflects the authenticity and diversity of the Kingdom’s national cuisine, while reinforcing the presence of heritage within the contemporary cultural landscape.

The festival showcases Saudi food culture as a vital component of national identity through live cooking stations where traditional dishes are prepared and presented by culinary experts, SPA reported.

The event features six pavilions that allow visitors to explore a wide variety of foods and beverages made from local ingredients, reflecting the Kingdom’s diverse environments and regional flavors.

In addition to the culinary offerings, the festival presents a range of accompanying cultural experiences designed to enrich the visitor journey and encourage engagement with food as both an artistic and knowledge-based experience.

These include a dedicated children’s pavilion, interactive tasting spaces for dishes, and innovative beverage experiences inspired by Saudi agricultural products.

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Want to Read More in 2026? Here's How to Revive Your Love of Books

A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
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Want to Read More in 2026? Here's How to Revive Your Love of Books

A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
A woman reads a book in the afternoon sun on a bench outside South Station in Boston, on Friday, May 31, 2024. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

People stop reading in adulthood for lots of reasons. But it’s never too late to turn the page on old habits and start again.

Curling up with a good book can reduce stress, increase creativity and boost empathy. A recent analysis of US government data found that the percentage of Americans who read for pleasure during an average day has fallen to 16% in 2023 from 28% in 2004. That includes not just books but audiobooks, e-books and periodicals like magazines, The AP news reported.

Some people say they're fatigued from years of assigned reading in school. Others don't have the time or would rather zone out by doom-scrolling on social media. And many just got out of the habit.

“It’s difficult for people who are really tired and busy to think about getting into reading if it’s not something they’re used to,” said Jacqueline Rammer, director of Menomonee Falls Public Library in Wisconsin.

For those looking to set reading goals or resolutions in 2026, here's how to get back into the habit.

Choose the right book When picking your next book, avoid dense nonfiction or a 500-page doorstop.

“Your first book should be something that you think will be joyful,” said Jocelyn Luizzi, a software engineer from Chicago who blogs about books.

Everyone's taste is different, so get recommendations from a variety of places including friends, booksellers and online communities like BookTok.

Rammer and her staff ask library visitors: What was the last book, TV show or movie that you really enjoyed? Then, they look for similar genres or themes.

Many libraries offer access to a service called NoveList which suggests “read-alikes” for various books and authors.

Set a reading routine To create a habit that sticks, “start by scheduling reading into your day,” said Gloria Mark, an attention span expert with the University of California, Irvine. Read five pages during a lunch break or right before bed.

If you're reading a physical book, Mark said to avoid distractions by keeping phones and laptops out of sight.

But experimenting with other formats can make reading more convenient. E-books are portable and audiobooks are a good candidate to accompany chores or the morning commute. You can likely access both for free by downloading an app called Libby and signing in with a library card.

Try to read in a quiet setting, but don't be afraid to make it a social activity. Many cities in the US and around the world host silent book clubs where people read their own books together in coffee shops and libraries.

Setting a reading goal for the year or joining a local library's winter reading challenge can help with motivation — but if it feels like added pressure, don't do it.

Shannon Whitehead Smith, a book blogger from the Atlanta area who also works in marketing, says scrolling through lists of other people's reads on social media and trackers like StoryGraph encourages her to keep the habit.

“Seeing all these other people reading motivates me to put my phone down and pick up this book that’s sitting beside me,” she said.

Feel free to skip a read if a book feels particularly sluggish, it's OK to put it down and start another. Reading “shouldn't feel like a burden,” said Jess Bone with University College London, who analyzed the survey data about American adults reading for pleasure.

Routine readers say the habit helps them stay curious and release the stress of the day. Rammer, the library director, reads mysteries rife with twists and turns, and romances that cycle through roller coasters of emotions.

Most of all, she likes books that end with a “happily ever after.”

“I think the guarantee of knowing that things are going to end up OK is really reassuring,” Rammer said.

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Saudi Architecture and Design Commission Launches Graphic Design Association in Riyadh

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
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Saudi Architecture and Design Commission Launches Graphic Design Association in Riyadh

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners
The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners

The Graphic Design Association has been launched in Riyadh under the patronage of the Saudi Architecture and Design Commission.

Sunday’s event, attended by officials and culture experts, marks a significant step in empowering graphic design talents.

The ceremony included a presentation outlining the association’s vision and operational plans for developing the graphic design sector. Key goals include supporting designers and enhancing their professional presence locally and internationally.

The association aims to unify graphic design practitioners, providing a framework that fosters skill development, stimulates innovation, and creates opportunities in the cultural sector.

Acting CEO of the Architecture and Design Commission Prince Nawaf bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf stressed that the association is vital for organizing the sector and improving professional practices, thereby enhancing its role in the cultural ecosystem.

The Graphic Design Association is one of the professional associations established under the Saudi Ministry of Culture, aimed at building an integrated system of organizations to empower practitioners across various cultural fields.